Carlo Ancelotti insisted "nothing changes" for Jude Bellingham despite Kylian Mbappe's arrival at Real Madrid.

Mbappe officially completed his long-awaited move to Madrid in July, after leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.

However, the 25-year-old's signing has raised some question marks over how Ancelotti fits his star attackers into the side.

One of those doubts is over Bellingham, who thrived in an attacking role at the tip of a midfield diamond last season, scoring 23 goals.

But while Madrid's system may change, Bellingham's importance to the team will not, says Ancelotti.

"Nothing changes for him. Nothing changes," he told reporters.

"The first season, he surprised a lot, because he showed fantastic quality, a really mature guy.

"The next season will not be different. He is going to be one of the best players that we have, supporting the team a lot with his quality."

Bellingham has not yet returned to Madrid's camp following his exploits with England at Euro 2024, with the 21-year-old having scored twice as the Three Lions reached the final, which they lost 2-1 to Spain.

And Ancelotti was surprised that Bellingham, and England in general, came in for some criticism for the performances in Germany.

"This is an opinion but Bellingham played really well at the Euros," said the Italian.

"England played really well, they reached the final and were close to winning it."

Madrid, who lost 2-1 to Barcelona over the weekend, face Chelsea in a pre-season friendly this week.

One Chelsea player who lined up for Madrid last term was goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who joined on loan as cover for the injured Thibaut Courtois.

Ancelotti, though, does not think Arrizabalaga will be returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.

He said: "In that position, we are covered.

"Kepa did really well last season. We were really happy to have him here, but I don't know what’s going to happen this season. We love him."

Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Alexander Sorloth from Villarreal in a deal reportedly worth €35million.

Sorloth joins Atleti on the back of scoring 26 goals in 41 games in all competitions in his only season at Villarreal.

A highlight of last term came in May, when he scored four goals in just 17 minutes in a 4-4 draw with Real Madrid.

Atleti were in the market for a striker after Alvaro Morata's move to Milan and following their release of Memphis Depay.

Sorloth, who has 53 caps for Norway, was second only to Artem Dovbyk when it came to LaLiga goals last season, netting 23 times in total.

The 28-year-old endured a difficult spell in England when he moved to Crystal Palace in January 2018, scoring just one goal in 20 appearances, but his career was revitalised by a loan to Trabzonspor, where he scored 24 league goals in 34 league games.

He subsequently moved to RB Leipzig before two spells on loan at Real Sociedad where he netted 24 times in 90 games before he signed for Villarreal in the summer of 2023.  

Sorloth's aerial prowess could be of real use for Diego Simeone's side. Indeed, he scored more headed goals (seven) than any other player in LaLiga last season.

Dovbyk was another target for Atleti, but the Ukraine international has instead joined Roma.

Sorloth has penned a four-year deal with Atleti, who are also pushing to sign Julian Alvarez from Manchester City.

Roma have signed Artem Dovbyk, who finished as top scorer in LaLiga last season, from Girona.

The 27-year-old scored 24 goals and contributed eight assists in 36 LaLiga matches in 2023-24 for Girona, who finished third after being title contenders for most of the campaign.

Roma are reported to have paid €38million for Dovbyk, who played for Ukraine at Euro 2024.

Dovbyk's LaLiga goals came from 24.29 expected goals, with the striker converting 21 of the 43 big chances that came his way.

He seemingly comes in as Roma's replacement for Romelu Lukaku, who has returned to Chelsea after a successful loan stint in the Italian capital, albeit the Belgian is being linked with Napoli.

Dovbyk had also been of interest to Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has suggested he will not join another club once his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu comes to an end.

Ancelotti is three years into his second stint at Madrid, and he has led Los Blancos to a swathe of success since re-joining the Spanish giants from Everton.

Madrid have won LaLiga and the Champions League twice each since 2021, with Ancelotti the first coach to win the latter trophy on five occasions.

The 65-year-old, who had been linked with the Brazil job, signed fresh terms with Madrid to extend his stay until the end of the 2025-26 season.

And he does not foresee himself taking up another club job, while he also hinted international coaching may not be for him either.

Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, as reported by The Athletic, Ancelotti said: "I think it will be my last club, I have to say.

"If there would be an opportunity for a national team, I don't know. I’m not so excited to be in a national team because of the fact that I would lose what I like most, the day-by-day [training].

"The day-by-day I like. To be here, to prepare the training, to talk to the players, to prepare the games.

"This is my 29th season as a coach. It's true that I have won a lot but imagine the number of titles I lost. I lost a lot."

Ancelotti has coached in each of Europe's top five leagues, though he admitted finding it difficult to fully adapt to life in Germany when he was in charge of Bayern Munich.

"I had luck, I went to the best team in England, in Spain, in Germany. But I was able to adapt to the culture," he said.

"I tried to learn the languages. I learned English, Spanish, French; I was not able to learn German, it's impossible — not difficult, impossible!"

Madrid take on rivals Barcelona in a friendly in the United States on Saturday. They start their LaLiga title defence against Real Mallorca on August 18, though before that they face Atalanta in the Super Cup.

Chelsea have signed goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal for a reported £20.7million (€24.5m).

Jorgensen made 36 LaLiga appearances for Villarreal last season.

The 22-year-old made 143 saves, the most in Spain's top flight, keeping six clean sheets and conceding 63 goals in total, registering a save percentage of 69.42.

Those performances have persuaded the Blues to bring in the Dane to compete with Robert Sanchez and Djorde Petrovic, though there are reports the latter could be moved on.

"This move is a dream come true," said Jorgensen, who has penned a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

"I am very excited to have signed for Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world. I can’t wait to get to know everyone and to start playing with all my new team-mates."

An emotional Endrick says it is a "dream" to play for Real Madrid after being unveiled at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid agreed a deal to sign the Brazilian from Palmeiras in December 2022, but he could not formally join the club until his 18th birthday, which he celebrated on July 21.

Endrick has penned a six-year contract with Los Blancos after signing for an initial fee of €35million, though that could rise by a further €25million in add-ons.

The youngster, who will wear the number 16 shirt, was tearful at his stadium presentation, telling the fans he had realised a long dream.

"This is crazy," Endrick said. "I am so happy since I was a kid, I have always been a Madrid fan, and now I am going to play for Madrid.

"I am here, I am going to play, I am so happy. My family are as well. I don't have words to describe what I am feeling. I always wanted to be here. I wanted to play for Madrid. It was a dream. Today it is a reality."

Endrick became the youngest player to feature for Palmeiras, making his debut at the age of 16 in October 2022, and going on to make 82 appearances, scoring 21 goals.

Since making his debut for Brazil last year, he has netted three times in 10 appearances for his national side and was part of their Copa America squad.

Endrick will be part of Madrid's pre-season tour in the United States later this month when they will play three games against Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea.

New Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick praised Lamine Yamal's "unbelievable" performances at Euro 2024, but believes there is still room for improvement in the 17-year-old's game. 

Yamal starred for Spain at the recent European Championships, notching five goal involvements at the tournament as La Roja won a record fourth title in Germany. 

The Spaniard played 50 games across all competitions for Barcelona last season, scoring seven goals and adding 10 assists in his breakthrough campaign in Catalonia.

"He's done a really great job over the last year," Flick said. "He's improved a lot and step by step he is continuing at this level.

"What he did at the Euros was unbelievable, but now, big players also continue to bring their performances and it is necessary for him to stay with both legs on the ground.

"He's a great guy, I got to speak with him when he arrived and he's now in this team and he can give us those great moments. 

"But he can also improve and also he can make things better. This is our part but he is on a really fantastic path."

Flick was finally unveiled as Barcelona's new head coach in a press conference on Thursday after taking over from Xavi back in May. 

The 59-year-old previously managed the German national team, also winning seven titles during a two-year spell with Bayern Munich. 

Barcelona failed to defend their league crown during the 2023-24 season, finishing second behind Real Madrid, who secured their 36th title as well as a 15th Champions League success. 

Flick was quick to temper expectations ahead of his first season in charge, but insisted Barcelona's desire to win trophies was something that attracted him to the position. 

"LaLiga is an important competition and I think it's good to work hard before you speak about our big goal," Flick said. 

"This club, they always want to play for titles so this is why I am here, why we are always here. Give me some more weeks and I can answer you better.

"This is my job. I am a coach and I am the coach of Barcelona so I know what happens.

"The results are very important but I think at the end, we want to play well of course, but we also want to give everything on the pitch. 

"When we are in the match, we have to be well-prepared and then the players have to show the hard work on the pitch - for me that is crucial."

Barcelona forward Ansu Fati has suffered a foot injury during a pre-season training session after returning from an underwhelming loan spell at Brighton and Hove Albion.

Hopes were high for Fati when he enjoyed a breakout 2019-20 season, eventually being handed the Blaugrana's iconic number 10 shirt when Lionel Messi departed in 2021.

However, he has struggled with injuries in the ensuing years, making a total of 21 starts in La Liga from the start of 2020-21 to the end of 2022-23.

Fati joined Brighton on loan last season in a move widely viewed as a coup for the Seagulls, but he only started three league games for the club, totalling 514 minutes across 19 appearances and scoring twice.

He has now been prevented from travelling to the United States for Barca's pre-season tour, which features fixtures against Manchester City, Real Madrid and Milan.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the club said: "In Tuesday's training session, first-team player Ansu Fati suffered a foot injury. 

"He will undergo conservative treatment in Barcelona and his return to training will be determined by his recovery time."

Fati has expressed a desire to stay with Barca, where he has a contract until 2027, though he has been linked with a move to Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce in recent weeks.

Hansi Flick wants Barcelona to adopt a more direct approach during his first season in charge, though the German will not sacrifice the Blaugrana's tiki-taka principles.

Former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Flick was named as Xavi's replacement in May, after Barca finished a distant second to rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga.

Flick's Bayern side were known for their aggressive approach in and out of possession, winning a Bundesliga and Champions League double under him in 2019-20.

Between Flick's appointment in November 2019 and his exit in June 2021, Bayern averaged the highest possession share in the Bundesliga (62.55%) and won the ball in the final third 489 times, 172 clear of Borussia Dortmund, who were second by that metric (317).

They also led the way for wins (45), total shots (1,023) and goals (174) in that span, averaging exactly three goals per Bundesliga outing.

Barca have traditionally upheld the ideals of Johan Cruyff and later Pep Guardiola, basing their approach around patient build-up, but Flick is planning some tweaks.

"Here the tradition is to play with passing, but I also want them to go straight to the goal. They should focus a bit more on scoring," Flick told Barca One.

"I don't think my style has any major changes. I'm looking for the same thing, to press high up, and to play in the opponent's midfield. 

"But, at the end of the day, you have to win. Everything is about winning games and at Barca, you have to play well.

"All I can say is that we want to be an active team. We have to be active with and without the ball. It's up to us to make it that way. 

"We can make the opponent go in the direction we want and win the ball back as quickly as possible. 

"I like my teams to press the opponent at the right moment, and sometimes higher up. With the ball, all players have to have as much freedom as possible. That's how I see it from a technical point of view."

Barcelona were the only team in LaLiga to average over 60% possession last season (64.7%), though both Madrid (87) and Girona (85) bettered their 79 goals.

Girona (1.62) were the only side to attack with a slower direct speed than the Blaugrana, who moved the ball upfield at an average speed of 1.67 metres per second.

Top European leagues and players' union FIFPRO have launched legal action against FIFA, accusing the governing body of abusing its dominant position and harming player welfare by oversaturating the calendar.

The European Leagues – a body representing 39 leagues including the Premier League – has filed a complaint to the European Union's antitrust regulators.

The move comes amid controversy regarding the calendar, with the first edition of FIFA's expanded Club World Cup set to take place in the United States next year.

Last month, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti suggested the European champions could boycott the competition, only for Los Blancos to subsequently confirm their participation in a statement.

FIFPRO launched legal action against FIFA at the Brussels court of commence in the ensuing days, claiming the decision to schedule the Club World Cup had violated players' rights.

The union has now joined a number of leagues in taking the issue to EU lawmakers, with a joint statement reading: "The international match calendar is now beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and a risk for the health of players.

"FIFA's decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglected its responsibilities as a governing body, and harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the welfare of players.

"National leagues and player unions, which represent the interests of all clubs and all players at the national level and regulate labour relations through collectively agreed solutions, cannot accept that global regulations are decided unilaterally.

"Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem and workforce from FIFA's unilateral decisions."

Madrid and Manchester City are among 12 European clubs to have booked a spot at the first 32-team Club World Cup, due to their recent Champions League successes.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Juventus will also feature, with most qualifiers being determined by a ranking system that awards points for victories in the Champions League.

Karim Benzema does not believe there is a team capable of being better than "best in the world" Real Madrid.

The Frenchman left Madrid in 2023 after 14 years in which he won 25 major trophies, including five Champions Leagues, five Club World Cups and four LaLiga titles.

He scored 354 goals for Los Blancos in 648 appearances before joining Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League.

Following his departure, Madrid won LaLiga and lifted their 15th Champions League title last season, and Benzema backs them to follow that up without a challenge.

"A spectacular season, very good," Benzema told Marca. "Real Madrid is always the best team in the world.

"Players come and go, but Real Madrid will always be at the top, at the very top. It is the best and will continue to prove it.

"It's the best team in the world. It's always strong and fighting for everything. I stand there, look around and don't see any team that's capable of being better.

"They have everything. Players, coach and president."

Benzema's old shirt number has recently been filled following the signing of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.

He will slot into a team full of players being tipped to win the Ballon d'Or this year, with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior among the favourites.

Benzema, who won the prize in 2022, has tipped the Brazilian to lift the individual award after he finished as Madrid's top scorer in all competitions, netting 24 goals.

"I'm going to say Vini because he deserves it for his season and not just for what he's done this year, but also for what he's done last year, he was also above the rest with his football and what he does with the ball. He's a kid, a complete footballer," Benzema added.

"He can win a game on his own, of course, with the help of his teammates, but he is very good when Real Madrid needs him and that is why I think he deserves it.

"He is always there, and he always shows up. For all of that, my favourite is Vini."

Hansi Flick has urged Barcelona to sign players "who can win games" as they await their first signing at Camp Nou this transfer window.

The former Bayern Munich manager is preparing for his first season in charge of the Blaugrana but is currently set to go into their preseason tour of the United States without any new faces in the squad.

Barcelona have been heavily linked to Spain's Euro 2024 winners Nico Williams and Dani Olmo, with the former their primary target ahead of the new season.

Speaking in his first interview with the club's official media team, Flick vowed to take them to the "next level", noting that transfers will play a big part in that process.

"We have to bring in a player who can win games, but we also have young players who we have to help so that they can improve," Flick said.

"I've felt from day one the passion that the people have. The fans. Everyone. The president. Everyone here, those who work here, have that passion for Barca. The devotion to give their best for this club.

"And that's also something big for us because we want to be part of this entity and live this passion and this devotion.

"We want to give everything we have to take this club to the next level. We will do everything possible."

While no new signings have been brought in, Barca have seen three players out of the door, with Sergino Dest (PSV), Marc Guiu (Chelsea) and Marcos Alonso (free agent) all departing.

Milan have completed the signing of Spain captain Alvaro Morata from Atletico Madrid.

The striker, who will wear the number seven shirt with the Rossoneri, has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at San Siro, with the option of an additional year.

Morata is fresh from leading Spain to their record-breaking fourth European Championship triumph at Euro 2024, following a 2-1 victory over England in the final.

The 31-year-old becomes Paulo Fonseca's first major signing since replacing Stefano Pioli in the Milan dugout.

This will be Morata's second spell in Italy, having scored 59 goals in 185 appearances across two separate stints with Juventus, where he won successive Serie A titles in 2015 and 2016.

He could make his debut when Milan host Torino in their opening match of the 2024-25 season on August 17.

Luka Modric has signed a one-year contract extension to keep him at Real Madrid until June 2025.

The 38-year-old's previous contract expired at the end of June, but he has reached an agreement to play a 13th season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Modric signed for Madrid from Tottenham in 2012 and has since made 534 appearances in all competitions, scoring 39 goals and providing 83 assists.

He boasts a club-record 26 trophies, including six Champions League, five Club World Cups, four European Super Cups and four LaLiga titles.

In 46 appearances last season, with many of those off the bench, he scored twice and assisted six goals.

The announcement also confirmed that Modric will be the new club captain following Nacho's departure last month. 

Kylian Mbappe told Real Madrid supporters: "I've dreamed of this day since I was a kid", as he was officially unveiled at Santiago Bernabeu.

The France captain completed his long-awaited blockbuster move to Los Blancos following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.

Mbappe put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the reigning LaLiga and Champions League winners, for whom he will wear the number nine shirt.

Over 80,000 spectators were at the Bernabeu to see the 25-year-old's official presentation, which was delayed due to France's involvement at Euro 2024.

And Mbappe shared with them his delight at realising a lifelong ambition.

"I spent endless nights dreaming about one day playing for Real Madrid, and today I am one happy guy," he said. "My family are so happy here, I can see my mum crying.

"It's an incredible day for me. I've dreamed of this day since I was a kid, and this day means a lot to me."

Sporting Madrid's new home kit, Mbappe was introduced to the crowd by club president Florentino Perez.

"The love that you felt for Real Madrid, and you identifying with this club since your childhood, made it possible for you to be here and to overcome those obstacles on the way to your dream," Perez said.

Los Blancos' head coach Carlo Ancelotti extended the welcome to his new signing, writing on X: "Welcome to the best club in the world. Welcome home, Kylian."